Health articles

Combination of biochemical, genetic, environmental, psychological, and physical factors is likely to be a cause but there is no specific cause of depression. Sometimes you may have no idea why you are depressed. Whatever the cause is, depression is not just a state of mind. It is very complex too as it involves physical changes in the brain.

Biochemically, depressive illnesses are disorders of the brain so the research shows. With diagnostic procedures such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), it tells that there are differences in the appearance of the brain between people who have depression and those who don't have. The parts of the brain responsible for each function such as regulating mood, thinking, sleep, and behavior appear to be functioning abnormally. Also, neurotransmitters appear to be imbalanced. Neurotransmitters are naturally occurring brain chemicals that are also linked with mood. Imbalance of hormones could also be a factor. Despite of them all, the causes of depression cannot be determined but they may help in pinpointing causes.

Genetically linked, there are types of depression that suggest that it is more common in people whose family members also have the same condition but it can also happen to people with no depression in their family histories. The risk may be resulted from influence of multiple genes acting together with other factors so as the genetics research indicates; Genetics can run in families for generations.

Environmentally, stressful situations such as trauma, loss of a loved one and any other situations that are difficult to cope with may bring out a depressive episode. Successive episodes of depression may happen with or without something for to trigger it.

Psychologically, pessimists or people who have very low self-esteem and negative outlook of life are at high risk for depression. Dysthymia, or low-level depression may actually cause these traits to appear. Disorders like anxiety, eating, schizophrenia and most of all, substance abuse often occur together with depression.

Physically, some serious medical conditions such as cancer and HIV can partly contribute to depression because of their physical weakness and stress they carry. Depression weakens the immune system and make pain much harder to bear thus it worsens medical conditions. There are some cases in which medications that are used to treat medical conditions can also cause depression.

Along with feelings and emotions, depression is indeed highly related to biology which makes it certain that it is a complex illness with many factors contributing to it. Latest researches of brain chemistry help us to understand biochemical processes of depression, and so the studies go on.